Long Island Car Accident Lawyer

When you’ve been injured in an auto wreck, you need to know how to get the compensation that will pay for your recovery and get your life back on track. Work with a Long Island car accident lawyer to get all the compensation you’re entitled to.

A car accident can be a major disruption to your life that puts everything at risk. In the best-case scenario, you wind up with a major headache and unforeseen car repair bills. In the worst-case scenario, you or a loved one may be seriously injured—even killed. A car crash can cause lasting physical, financial, and emotional challenges that last for years after the initial impact.

A car accident lawyer from Siler & Ingber, LLP will understand the difficult situation that your auto wreck presents and will fight to get you a settlement that can restore your peace of mind and financial wellbeing. Our firm can be a partner who walks with you through this difficult time, and you can count on us to get you the money you deserve.

Laws in New York That Can Affect Your Case

When you work with a Long Island car accident lawyer from our firm, the first thing we will do is review the facts of your case and begin an investigation to determine who was responsible and how to proceed.

New York is a “no-fault” car insurance state. This means that no matter who was at fault in your accident, both parties must first seek compensation from their own insurer before filing a personal injury claim. An injured party is eligible to file a claim beyond the no-fault system and seek compensation from those at fault if damages exceed $50,000; the injured party shows evidence of serious injury, disability, or disfigurement; or the accident resulted in a death.

Your Long Island accident lawyer will know how significant the damage caused by your collision can be and how the bills can pile up—and keep coming—afterward. We will work to make sure all of the financial hardships imposed by your accident are accounted for, and we will work to get you the settlement you deserve.

The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in New York is three years. If you’ve suffered injuries due to a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s important not to let the statute of limitations on your injury claim run out.

Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

The attorneys at Siler & Ingber compiled data from 2014 to 2016 on motor vehicle crashes on Long Island. The first set of charts shows the number of motor vehicle accidents and fatalities in Suffolk and Nassau counties over the 3-year period.

Motor Vehicle Accidents in Nassau and Suffolk Counties

Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Nassau and Suffolk Counties

As you can see, the amount of accidents did not vary much between 2014 and 2016, but they did decline. This could possibly be attributed to new laws on distracted driving or more law enforcement assigned to these county roads. For the number of fatalities, there was a large increase from 2014 to 2015, but luckily, the amount decreased in 2016. However, even one fatality is too much.

Comparison: Total Number of Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities in Suffolk and Nassau

Long Island Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities by Day of the Week

The following two charts show the number of motor vehicle accidents and fatalities in Suffolk and Nassau counties by the day of the week. You might be surprised by some of the results we found.

Types of Car Crashes

Any type of wreck can be extremely unsettling. A Long Island car accident lawyer from our office will have experience representing victims of all types of accidents and identifying fault, including any of the following:

Rear-End Collisions– Rear-end collisions often occur when one car is following another too closely, or when the car in front makes a sudden stop. These accidents can cause significant damage to vehicles, and drivers of rear-ended cars also frequently experience whiplash.

T-Bone Accidents – Side-impact accidents occur when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another. Common sites of T-bone accidents are intersections where one vehicle failed to make a proper stop.

Sideswipes – Sideswipe accidents occur when the sides of two cars collide. This may happen if an inattentive driver drifts into another lane, for example. It’s common for distracted driving to be involved in these wrecks, although many other factors, such as poor road conditions could be to blame.

Head-On Collisions – These collisions occur when the front ends of two vehicles collide, and they are especially dangerous. Head-on collisions frequently result in significant injuries, such as spinal cord or traumatic brain injury—or even death.

Rollover Accidents – A car with a high center of gravity, such as a van or an SUV, is more likely to experience a rollover accident, during which a vehicle loses its grip on the road and rolls over, possibly several times. While defective vehicle or road design is sometimes to blame, a rollover could just as easily be caused by one driver forcing another off the road.

Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics: Crash Descriptors

The chart below depicts the percentages of each type of accident: injury accident, fatal accident, property damage and injury accident, and property damage accident. The majority of motor vehicle crashes in Suffolk and Nassau counties resulted in only property damages.

Identifying What Caused Your Car Accident

No matter the type of accident you’ve suffered, you shouldn’t have to deal with the physical, emotional, and financial aftermath alone if another person’s negligence caused your crash and subsequent injuries. Your car accident lawyer from Long Island will identify all of the negligent parties involved in causing your wreck. This is a crucial step, as recovering full compensation requires naming them all in your claim.

All potential causes will need to be considered during the investigation, such as those described below:

Drunk Driving – In New York, 1.4 percent of people report driving after having consumed too much alcohol. Drunk driving is a seriously negligent behavior and might qualify you to receive punitive damages to punish the intoxicated driver.

Distracted Driving – Any driver who is engaging in behavior that takes his or her mind off the road is a distracted driver. These behaviors may include eating, texting, changing the radio station, arguing with passengers, and any number of other things.

Speeding – Speeding is another common yet undeniably dangerous behavior. It is also a decision made by the other driver, meaning that proving it will go a long way toward proving your case.

Get Compensation for Your Injuries and Crash Damages

While an initial settlement offer from the insurance company might only cover your immediate needs, your Long Island car accident lawyer will understand your long-term needs and the money necessary for your care.

When valuing your claim, we will make certain that the compensation you receive covers all of the financial expenses incurred by the wreck and the damage done to your quality of life:

Current and future medical bills

Car repair or replacement costs

Physical or emotional therapy

Lost wages and income

Pain and suffering

Emotional distress and disfigurement

Lost enjoyment of life

Questions to Ask a Lawyer After a Car Accident

When you’ve been involved in an auto collision, it’s normal to feel confused. You likely have many questions and want to do everything you can to get the financial help you deserve.

Working with an attorney is one of the best ways to streamline your efforts after your crash. But what are some good questions to ask a lawyer after a car accident?

The attorneys at Siler & Ingber, LLP are highly knowledgeable in this area of the law, and we are here to offer our assistance. Below, we highlight some crucial topics to cover with your attorney.

Which Pieces of Evidence Do I Need?

This is one of the most important questions to ask a lawyer after a car accident. Compiling evidence is a crucial part of the claims process. With the right evidence, your attorney will be able to prove your lack of liability in your crash, giving the insurance company no choice but to offer the maximum compensation amount.

As such, your attorney may need photographs of the scene of the crash, medical records, witness statements, and a statement from your doctor outlining the severity of your injuries, if you sustained any.

What Is My Claim Worth?

Many victims are worried about recovering compensation after their collisions, and for good reason. Between medical bills, property damage, and being forced to take time off of work to recover, your collision could leave you in a severely compromised financial state.

While your attorney may not be able to give you an exact amount during the initial filing phases, we can help you determine which benefits you’re eligible to recover, such as pain and suffering, loss of earning capacity, and medical care. We will also do everything in our power to obtain maximum compensation from the insurance company—even if it means going to court.

Do I Have a Viable Case?

New York is a no-fault state, which means you won’t be seeking compensation from the other driver unless your damages or injuries exceed certain limits.

However, there are many cases in which the insurance company is unwilling to cooperate with victims and provide them with the money they deserve. In these cases, you certainly have the right to enlist the services of a lawyer and bring the insurance company to court.

Who’s responsible if dangerous road conditions caused my crash?

If something like a pothole, improperly made shoulder or uneven lane caused your wreck, then the government agency in charge of maintaining the road could be liable. Depending on the circumstances, a road construction company might also be at fault.

Who do I seek compensation from if I was hit by a rideshare driver?

Cases involving Uber and Lyft drivers can be complicated because you might need to file your claim against either the driver or the rideshare company, but which one will depend on the status of the rideshare app at the time of the wreck and whether the driver had a paying ride in progress.

What happens when I’ve been injured in a wreck with an uninsured driver?

If you have the appropriate coverage, an uninsured driver claim can provide you with compensation for some of your damages. This requires caution as even your own insurance company will try to lowball your settlement amount. You might also have the option to sue the other driver directly, but we’ll first need to determine if the driver has the assets to provide you with compensation.

How long do I have to file?

Various factors can affect how long you have to file a claim for compensation after a Long Island car accident, but you will generally have three years from the date of the accident to file your personal injury claim.

What does it mean that New York is a no-fault state?

It means that the state of New York asks drivers to carry no-fault insurance, which is designed to cover your medical bills and lost wages after your car accident, regardless of who was at fault.

It also means you will need to prove you had a serious injury if you need to file a claim for additional compensation. These claims can cover intangible damages like pain and suffering.

Am I at fault for a single-car crash?

Not necessarily. While it may initially seem like there’s no one to blame but yourself, other parties could be held responsible for your Long Island single-car crash.

For example, if the road was unsafe and caused your crash, you could sue the agency responsible for maintaining that road. Likewise, you could name a parts manufacturer in your claim if a defective part on your car caused your crash.

What if the other driver didn’t have insurance?

While your insurance company may promise to compensate you for accidents in which the other driver doesn’t have insurance, you may find that the insurance company is trying to offer you too little or even refusing to pay you at all. That’s why it’s important to contact a Long Island auto accident lawyer.

What if I have more questions?

If you have more questions, the attorneys at Siler & Ingber, LLP have more answers. To get in touch with a Long Island car accident attorney, give us a call at 1-877-718-6079 or fill out the form below.

Contact a Long Island Car Wreck Attorney

While the days and weeks after a car accident can be overwhelming, there is hope. Contact a Long Island car accident lawyer with Siler & Ingber, LLP today and begin the process of getting the compensation you deserve. Call 1-877-718-6079, or use the online contact form on this page to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.